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RALEIGH — Carolina Hurricanes forward Scott Walker will not be suspended, but was fined $2,500 by the NHL on Monday for throwing a punch that may have broken a bone in Boston defenseman Aaron Ward's face.

Hurricanes general manager Jim Rutherford told The Associated Press that the automatic suspension given to Walker was rescinded during a hearing with league disciplinarian Colin Campbell. It was ruled the hit was not a "sucker punch."

"Based on what was said on the ice as I was dropping my gloves, it was my understanding that I was engaged in an altercation," Walker said in a statement issued by the team.

Tempers flared during the final minutes of Boston's 4-0 victory Sunday in Game 5 of the best-of-seven Eastern Conference semifinal series when Ward and Carolina's Matt Cullen began shoving in front of the Bruins' net. Walker skated in and hit Ward with a right cross that knocked the defenseman to the ice. Walker was given a misconduct penalty, a fighting major and an instigator penalty with 2:47 remaining.

"In reviewing what I saw, I just didn't like what happened. ... I just don't think there was any need for that," Bruins coach Claude Julien said. "He sucker-punched him once coming into the scrum when (Ward) was involved with another player. And then he dropped his gloves and sucker-punched him."

Rutherford said the incident was "clearly brought on by them," saying he felt the Canes had taken shots from Boston players throughout the series, which Carolina leads 3-2. He isn't worried about the Bruins retaliating against Walker tonight.

"If that's the way the game's going to be played," he said, "that's the way we'll play the game."